


In Spirit

by BlizzardPrince



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Humour, M/M, Spirit Bonds, eventual hurt/comfort, tags to be added later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:15:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29461860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlizzardPrince/pseuds/BlizzardPrince
Summary: To realize a Duel Spirit, one must form a close bond with it. Doing so sets one apart at Duel Academia, the entire school's eyes on your every move. Tenjoin Fubuki is the first of his class to realize a duel spirit, proving the young Obelisk Blue's potential. Can Marufuji Ryo catch up to him, or will his Cyber Dragons stay forever slumbering in their cards?
Relationships: Marufuji Ryou | Zane Truesdale/Tenjouin Fubuki | Atticus Rhodes
Comments: 22
Kudos: 14





	1. Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Realized!

**Author's Note:**

> So the idea here is that the world of GX is the same, except that _everyone_ can see duel spirits, and everyone can potentially obtain them. In order to 'realize' a duel spirit from a card, you have to form a deep bond with it through dueling. 
> 
> More or less this is just an excuse to have fun shenanigans with Ryo and Fubuki and their monsters being solid and real, but without a setting like the Dark World for it to happen. The great bulk of this is going to be fluff, and it's not a 1:1 parallel of canon events, but I would like to get to the point of writing about Red-Eyes Darkness, because I really love the idea of Fubuki having a connection with it in canon. Hope anyone who likes duel spirits enjoys this as much as I do thinking about it!
> 
> This is also a bit of a role reversal with Fubuki and Ryo, because Fubuki is much better at making bonds than Ryo is, so I think he would naturally be more of the #1 in this universe, which I think will be fun to play with! Let the boy win some duels on screen, yeesh!

Tenjoin Fubuki was, of course, the first of the Obelisk Blue students to realize a duel spirit in physical form from its card. It had happened spontaneously after a close match with his nigh-equal in talent, and the top of their class–Marufuji Ryo. The two of them had grown a close rivalry and friendship, an unlikely duo with starkly different personalities. But when Fubuki dueled Ryo, a different side of him emerged from that silly, life-loving exterior.

Red-Eyes Black Dragon had, to the surprise of everyone spectating the duel, suddenly burst forth from Fubuki's deck and let out a screeching roar. A victory cry for its master. Fubuki's eyes had grown comically wide, sparkling in awe at the sight of his ace monster, real and breathing before him. No matter how realistic the Solid Vision holograms were, nothing could compare to the sight of a real, breathing dragon, its scales shining under the fluorescent lights. 

The dragon looked back at Fubuki next, red eyes glinting before it flared its great wings, then flew forward. The crowd of students gasped, anticipating some sort of collision, but the dragon stopped just short of slamming into its master. Sharp features tilted, then it nuzzled Fubuki's cheek. The still wide-eyed student gasped, then broke into a delighted laughter, clearly happy to be given affection by his beloved ace monster.

"Nice to finally meet you, old friend." Red-Eyes' throat rumbled, like a cat purring, and Fubuki brushed its snout with long fingers, the scales smooth beneath his touch. He could swear the dragon looked _happy_ , not the least bit ferocious (other students probably would have disagreed with him, though).

Across from him on the Duel Arena, Ryo smiled, as if he knew beforehand that Fubuki would best him in this particular race. It wasn't often that the Kaiser smiled, the gesture earning a few surprised looks from the students close enough to see it. When Fubuki noticed Ryo's gaze on him, he laughed loud enough for the sound to reach him, over the still-thundering crowd and another excited roar from Red-Eyes.

It took a powerful bond to realize a monster, drawing it out of its card and giving it a physical body. Some students were naturals, easily managing the feat before the end of their first year. Others were still struggling by the end of the third, perhaps a sign that dueling was not a natural fit of a skill for them, despite grades good enough to graduate.

Once one spirit came, others soon tended to follow, which meant everyone would have their eyes on Fubuki now, waiting to see what spirit would be realized from his deck next.

☆ ☆ ☆

"You seem pleased with yourself." Marufuji Ryo, sitting with one leg crossed and a book propped in one hand, mused. Fubuki sat beside him, closer than he needed to on the large Obelisk dorm couch. His eyes, sparkling, were on his deck, which was lovingly cupped in his hands.

"It's hard not to be. I'm the first of our class to do it! Plus..." Fubuki looked positively radiant, his smile spreading from cheek to cheek. Ryo struggled to meet his gaze, like a bright light being shone in his eyes. "I got to meet Red-Eyes, in the flesh. How can I not be happy?"

Ryo understood. Though he wasn't as personable as his friend, his Cyber Dragon cards were important to him. He had proved himself to earn the right to use them, long before entering Duel Academia, and now he had to prove himself again, to _them_ , to earn their trust and... companionship. Such a thing was foreign to the serious Obelisk Blue, or at least, so he thought. For a moment, he met Fubuki's eyes, and Fubuki laughed, his sweet smile _almost_ infectious.

"I'm sure you'll meet Cyber Dragon soon." Fubuki's words caught Ryo off guard, eyes widening in surprise. It was almost scary, how Fubuki could read his mind. Though, that was his strong point in a duel, as well. Ryo envied that; he could read plays just fine, but people? Not at all. "Maybe even Cyber End! But, I'm sure you'll _really_ have to prove yourself to meet the big guy."

"Hmph." Ryo chuckled, but he couldn't argue with Fubuki's logic—he was probably right. "Do you think I can't catch up with you?" Ryo wondered, though his tone wasn't accusatory.

"Of course not, Ryo! I know you will." Fubuki jabbed Ryo's side with his elbow, and he winced. "Just keep dueling _me_." Fubuki then pointed it at himself, winking.

"You don't have to tell me that." Again, Ryo _almost_ smiled, felt the twitch at the side of his lips. Smiling was also foreign to him, but it was a little easier around Fubuki.

"Hey, want to see Red-Eyes?" Flecks of gold sparkled in brown eyes, shimmering with excitement. Full of life. How could Ryo say no? Besides... he wanted to see his friend's signature monster up close, the view he had gotten earlier from across the Duel Field not quite satisfactory.

☆ ☆ ☆

Fubuki called Red-Eyes Black Dragon out of its card by the lake framing the Obelisk Blue dorm, with shouted words all too familiar to a duel. "Come out, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" He held his hand up high, the holo face of the card glinting in the sunlight. 

Ryo wondered if the dragon would listen, or if things weren't that simple... but sure enough, with sparks of red, the dragon burst out of the card with its head held high, followed by a triumphant roar. It was hard not to be stunned at such a sight... the dragon was magnificent, its dark scales shining in the sunlight like its master's long, silky hair. Fubuki looked positively radiant, a stark contrast to the black and red of his duel spirit. At first glance, they didn't seem a fit at all, but Ryo knew better—the dragon's menacing look echoed the drive Fubuki dueled with when he was serious, a confidence that was hard to match. 

"Isn't he beautiful?" Fubuki's voice was bright, eclipsing the sun's rays.

"Beautiful?" The dragon's sharp features tilted down as it eyed Ryo, as if waiting for his response. Well, he supposed there was something beautiful about the way its scales shone, the red of its eyes glinting. "You're right." Ryo couldn't help but smile. Red-Eyes gave him an approving lift of its head, and Ryo saw _just_ how sharp its teeth were.

"He wants to meet Cyber End." Fubuki reached up to pet Red-Eyes' lowered head, his hand sliding smoothly against its snout.

"You can understand it?"  
  
"Mm... more like, I just feel it. Look at how he's looking at you." Fubuki, treating the dragon as if it were a person, would of course be able to read it like one. Of _course_. 

Ryo shouldn't have been surprised, but it was hard not to be in some kind of shock at hanging around with his best friend and his _dragon_. Ryo lowered his head, smirking. "Maybe he's just hungry." 

Fubuki laughed, then immediately straightened up, looking right into the dragon's red eyes. "Do you need to eat? Are you hungry?" The concern on his face was endearing, like he hadn't thought of that possibility at all. 

Red-Eyes looked confused, and Ryo had to laugh at the way it tilted its head to the side, like a dog. "I don't think it understands."

Fubuki Tenjoin was not one to be discouraged, immediately running off to look around the area for something a dragon might eat. When he came back a few minutes later, his cupped hands were full of berries and mushrooms. Red-Eyes leaned down and poked its snout into Fubuki's hands, and to both their surprise, began to eat out of them. _"Oh my god."_ Fubuki whispered in excitement, not wanting to startle the beast out of the act. It took the small berries and mushrooms with the tip of its beak, before snapping it so fast it seemed like the food disappeared. "He's eating!" Fubuki beamed, looking like a proud father.

"He eats like you eat sweets." Ryo had witnessed many a piece of cake practically swallowed whole by his friend, the very thought making him shudder. _Too sweet._ He could only pick at such things himself, until Fubuki inevitably ate the rest of his share, supposedly not wanting it to go to waste. Ryo just thought he was gluttonous, but he had to wonder how he could eat like that and keep his toned body. 

"Do you think dragons like cake!?" 

Ryo's teasing rolled off of Fubuki like water, but he had to try. Fubuki was the only person he could be like this around, after all. Even if joking around did not come naturally to him, he wanted to meet Fubuki's strides—to keep up with him, as much as he was blinding. Ryo shook his head. So, Fubuki was going to drag his monsters into his nonsense, as well...

Ryo doubted cake was good for dragons, but he couldn't help but humour Fubuki, his smile a small, barely noticeable curl. "I'm sure a little bit would be okay."

Fubuki grinned from ear to ear. "Red-Eyes, wait here! We'll be right back." Before Ryo could protest, Fubuki had taken his hand and was dragging him back to the Obelisk Blue dorm, his eyes like many times before set on the dorm's kitchen, and the sweets he was an expert at negotiating samples out of from the patisserie chef. Ryo sighed, wondering if he would use the dragon to help with his suck-up routine, as ridiculous as that idea sounded. If anyone would use a duel monster spirit for something so menial, it would be Fubuki. 

☆ ☆ ☆

Feeding a giant dragon cake had either been the best idea, or the worst. The results were _cute_ , according to Fubuki, who watched the black-scaled dragon eat the coveted sweet from his hands with glee. Ryo wasn't so sure about this, noting the hungry, ravenous look in the dragon's eyes. 

His fears were shortly realized later that evening. 

Well passed curfew, Ryo was woken up with a start to the sound of _screaming_. He met Fubuki—dressed in satin pink pajamas—and a few other Obelisk Blue students in the hallway, in various states of panic and confusion. The group set off to follow the source of the noise, seeming to be coming from outside, and indeed the volume of it rose as the group gathered outside the entrance. "There!!" One of the Blues pointed up at a window, and Ryo tried to fight the urge to smack his hand hard against his face.

He failed miserably.

Red-Eyes Black Dragon was perched by the kitchen's windows, clawing the glass in an attempt to open them. Evidently, the night staff prepping meals for the next day were horrified at the sight of the giant black dragon trying to get inside, hence the screaming.

Red-Eyes, it seemed, had developed a taste for cake.

"Red-Eyes!" Fubuki cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted up at his dragon, who perked up at the sound of his voice, craning its sharp head back to look at him. "Come back!"

There was a moment of deliberation, then the dragon's wings flared—to more startled shrieks—and it descended to the dorm grounds, gusts of wind whipping at the crowd of students below. Several of the Obelisk Blues backed away, but Ryo stepped forward with Fubuki, shaking his head. "I knew it wasn't a good idea to feed it cake."

"You encouraged me!" Fubuki sounded like he was trying to hold back a laugh, amused by all of this. Ryo assumed the kitchen staff was _far_ less humoured. 

"I went along with your plan. There's a difference."

"Then you're my accomplice, Ryo!" Fubuki beamed, not the least bit afraid of the possible repercussions of this. Obelisk Blues _did_ get off easy when it came to things like breaking rules, and besides... "He snuck out on his own, though."

"You _fed him cake."_

"You let me!"

Ryo sighed. He knew he wasn't going to win this 'argument'. He never did, always conceding to Fubuki's stronger personality in the end. It was impossible to say no to him, or try to change his mind when it came to things like this. In personal affairs, he beat Ryo by _miles_ , a shining star he could never hope to catch up to.

Fubuki knew by the droop of Ryo's shoulders that he'd won, and he slung his arm suddenly around Ryo, making him flinch. "Still, I didn't think spirits would be able to materialize and move around on their own like that... maybe it's because the kitchens are close enough to my dorm room?"

"Maybe." Ryo hoped that Fubuki would learn from this and shut his window at night for the time being, but knowing his dear friend, he would continue to go where the wind takes him, so to speak: a free spirit, unrestrained by boundaries. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As a note, the ratings and warnings of this fic might go up/change. Please let me know what you think, I super appreciate comments! I am not used to posting or finishing fic at all, but we're giving it a go!


	2. Fetch, Red-Eyes!

Fubuki seemed to enjoy the attention on him, the collective student body watching his every duel. Now that Red-Eyes had realized, it seemed more  _ alive _ when summoned, like the spirit might break through the Solid Vision, scorching fire causing real damage to its opponents. Fubuki dueled with more passion than before, eagerly pushing to summon his beloved ace monster, to utilize its full potential in his deck. 

Ryo could feel it, the drive with which his friend dueled now—an eager and oppressive energy that swept the Duel Arena. Ryo found himself on the losing end more often than not, a satisfied smirk playing on his lips as the holograms of the monsters and cards faded away, leaving a re-ignited drive to best his friend and rival.

"How's that, Ryo?" Fubuki winked, though Ryo knew he was serious, the words not teasing, but a challenge instead.

"Dazzling." Ryo's reply was honest, the Cyber Dragon user crossing his arms and giving Fubuki a small nod of approval to show his respect.

Across the field, Fubuki tilted his head with a smile, beautiful hair draping over his shoulders in a movement that made some of the girls watching shriek and swoon audibly. "High praise."

The small 'hmph' from Ryo in response was barely audible. "You earned it."

"I'm honoured, Kaiser." The use of the title  _ was  _ teasing, but not mocking. After all, the  _ Blizzard Prince _ was the only one at Duel Academia who knew the  _ true _ Kaiser Ryo: the one who awkwardly blushed at his touches. The one who was soft-spoken and kind. Kaiser Ryo wasn't really cool at all, as much as the entire student body respected him and held him on a pedestal. They thought he was the coolest, but Fubuki knew otherwise.

"It's only the truth, Fubuki." 

Fubuki blinked, gaping at Ryo for a moment, before he threw an arm around his shoulders, grinning wide. "Only you get to see me shine  _ this _ much."

Ryo was perfectly happy with that.

☆ ☆ ☆

A week passed, and the collective student body had started to lose interest in the potential realization of Fubuki's next spirit. This didn't seem to phase the optimistic Obelisk Blue, who was occupied enough with Red-Eyes Black Dragon in his free time between classes. Ryo had sternly suggested that he not try to feed him  _ anything _ more from the kitchens, and Fubuki couldn't argue when he used  _ that _ tone, the one that sounded a lot like the one his mother used when he was in trouble back at home.

Instead, he had taken to trying to  _ play _ with the giant dragon instead, which Ryo wasn't sure was a good idea either.

So Ryo stood by the lake (what if he caught fire from stray excited breath? It could douse him quickly), watching Fubuki toss a dodgeball like it was a fetch toy with an enthusiastic shout of "Fetch, Red-Eyes!". For a moment, the dragon's piercing eyes merely blinked, its tail flicking as it watched the ball bounce away on the grass. Then it flapped its wings, slowly took off from the ground, and followed it. It watched the object until it came to a stop, then stared at it, hovering in place.

"Bring it back!" Fubuki cupped his hands around his mouth to help his voice reach Red-Eyes, who seemed confused at what to do next. Ryo wondered if it could possibly understand the command, and then—as if he was witnessing a miracle—the dragon's beaked snout began to poke at the ball, then  _ bit _ it, producing a comically loud squeak. "That a boy! Now come back!" Ryo had never heard Fubuki sound so proud, like a child had taken its first steps in front of him.

The squeaking stopped, and Red-Eyes looked Fubuki right in the eyes, as if the two of them could speak without using words. Fubuki nodded, giving further encouragement, and the dragon was flying back toward them, the dodgeball firmly lodged in its mouth. Ryo was in shock: the ball was, somehow, still in one piece, despite the dragon's razor-sharp teeth.

"Good boy!!" Fubuki raised his hands, and Ryo watched in a stupor as the magnificent black dragon, all sharp edges and metallic scales, lowered its head. Fubuki tried to take the ball back, but it wouldn't budge from Red-Eyes' mouth. "You have to let go, silly."

Like a dragon would know that is obvious. Ryo fought the urge to bury his face in his hand.

Fubuki gave Red-Eyes' snout a rub, and the dragon finally dropped the ball. Both Red-Eyes and Ryo watched it roll away on the grass. "Good boy!" Fubuki was, quite plainly, petting the dragon like it was a dog. The corners of its eyes wrinkled, and it leaned into the touch.

Ryo had learned to stop being surprised at anything that happened when he was with Fubuki. That checklist was already pages long, and he could only process so much social interaction at a time (if at all). Fubuki truly challenged him more than anything else.

Fubuki spent the rest of their free block tossing the ball for Red-Eyes, as Red-Eyes more and more began to resemble a large puppy than a dragon. Instead of flying, it had graduated to chasing after the ball on all fours, its claws tearing up the grass and tail swishing violently behind it. Tired, Ryo had sat back against a tree, peeking over his book occasionally to watch the two of them. Now  _ he _ felt like a parent, babysitting the children as they played.

"Woah!!" Fubuki exclaimed loudly as Ryo watched him chase the ball down to the lake's edge, its path set bouncing on an irreversible course. Ryo smirked as the ball plopped into the water, and Fubuki dove after it with no hesitance, Obelisk Blue coat and all.

Red-eyes watched at the water's edge as both the ball and its master bobbed along its surface, Ryo noting with slight horror that the dragon had raised its rear end once again, tail lashing around like a whip. 

Fubkuki noticed this development far too late, as he raised the large red ball in his hands triumphantly upon retrieving it. Brown eyes met his ace monster's piercing red, and widened comically as the dragon took off like a jet, wind from its wings kicking up the lake's water around it as it shot toward its target. Ryo was impressed that Fubuki neither screamed nor moved: instead, he held the ball up as high as he possibly could, ducking his head with his eyes clenched shut to brace himself. The dragon angled its path of flight higher, snatched the ball in its beak and flew passed its bewildered master and up into the sky. 

Ryo had set his book face down in his lap to watch. Fubuki was now craning his neck as far back as it would go so he could see; Red-Eyes was doing loops in the clouds and didn't seem like it would come down any time soon. Ryo chuckled and returned his gaze to his book, like he could now trust the  _ children _ to behave themselves.

Fubuki waded back to the shore, his clothes dripping wet as he emerged from the lake. He didn't seem bothered by the sopping-wet material, plodding right up to Ryo and plopping down beside him with an unpleasantly wet sound. 

"Having fun?" Ryo knew better than to ignore his friend, so he acknowledged him with a brief look. 

Fubuki leaned back against the trunk of the tree, letting out an exhausted sigh as his body melted against it and sank down further. "Yeah, but who knew having a spirit would be this exhausting."

Ryo smirked. "Now you know how I feel." The joke's delivery was so dry that anyone other than Fubuki might not have known it was one.

Fubuki furrowed his brow, then pouted, which Ryo caught out of the corner of his eye. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't worry about it."

Fubuki's cheeks puffed next, and he reached over and pushed Ryo's book down. The serious Obelisk Blue fixed him with a warning glare. "If I was that much of a bother, you wouldn't hang around me like this."

Ryo would have been concerned at the hurt in Fubuki's voice, had he not already learned to tell the difference between him joking around and being serious back when they were juniors. Many a time he had worried he had done or said something wrong, only for Fubuki to bounce back immediately like nothing had even happened. This sort of cry-wolf had adjusted Ryo to the fact that his friend wasn't being so serious, most of the time. Ryo only fixed him with a look that said 'you know I like you' in response.

Unsatisfied, Fubuki wiped his hand dry on Ryo's coat and plucked the book right out of his hands, grinning at the disgruntled look that earned him. Ryo's brows set in a flat line that made him look several years older. "You really are an old man."

"I'm sixteen."

"All you do is read, sleep and grumble."

Ryo narrowed his eyes, like Fubuki was forgetting something obvious.

"Oh, and duel. But that's kind of like chess, you know?"

"We're literally in a dueling school." Ryo rasped dryly, a clear sign he was getting exasperated.

"It's all about the context! With everything all together, you're more like an old person!"

If Ryo had been about to argue, it was cut short as Red-Eyes Black Dragon suddenly landed before them, the dodgeball falling out of its mouth and bouncing along the grass until it hit Ryo's leg and stopped. Fubuki blinked and looked at Ryo in bewilderment, then turned his gaze back to Red-Eyes. "I think he wants to play with you."

Ryo stared at the ball for a moment before daring to lock eyes with the beast himself. Its red eyes were fixed on him, like it had found a new playmate. When Ryo didn't react, Red-Eyes pushed the ball closer to him with its snout, bumping it up against his leg. Fubuki's eyes were wide and curious, and Ryo felt a bit like  _ two _ Fubukis were pestering him now. Sighing, he stood up and leaned down to pick up the ball. Red-Eyes flew back with a flap of its wings, crouched down and stuck its back end up in the air. The movement of its tail  _ should _ have been a warning sign, if these were normal circumstances.

Not one to be intimidated, Ryo steeled himself and threw the ball as hard as he could (which honestly, wasn't very far given his more limited physical capabilities). Red-Eyes immediately took off after it, and Fubuki caught the small smile that formed on Ryo's face. When Red-Eyes returned, it looked expectant, and Ryo didn't miss a beat. Boldly, he faked a throw that sent the dragon flying off after nothing, which had Fubuki bursting into a laughing fit that was only interrupted when he caught Ryo's small smirk.

"—You're having fun!"

"I'm not going to argue with a dragon."

This put a stupid grin on Fubuki's face, the knowledge that Red-Eyes was like him pleasing him. Of course it was. Of  _ course _ he was.

Ryo opened his mouth to say something further, but was cut off by a screeching roar as Red-Eyes returned, a large black shadow cast over both of them.

"You think he's angry?" Fubuki mused, somehow not the  _ slightest _ bit intimidated by the black dragon looming over them.

On the contrary, Ryo couldn't mask his nerves completely—his fingers were trembling against the bright red of the dodgeball he clutched in his hands. He could feel Red-Eyes' breath puffing onto his face as it lowered its long neck, eyes glaring right into his, just a  _ little _ too close. "Sorry." Ryo mumbled reflexively, and a small laugh was stifled beside him as Fubuki apparently found this  _ very _ funny indeed.

Red-Eyes made a sound of acknowledgement as if asking Ryo to prove it, and the Obelisk Blue wasn't keen on pissing off an already angry dragon, so he threw the ball again—this time as hard as he could. Red-Eyes made sure the ball was in its line of sight this time before taking off, and Ryo visibly untensed, leaning back against the tree for support.

"That was a close one." Fubuki chirped, looking up at his daring friend. Ryo returned his gaze with an incredulous look, and Fubuki only smiled softly back, despite knowing exactly the reason. Ryo wouldn't have been adventurous at all if not for him.

Ryo never would have thought of interacting with spirits in ways like this, if it hadn't been for Fubuki's influence, and the fact that his friend had realized this dopey, dog-like spirit who seemed eerily close to its master in personality. Ryo couldn't deny now that spirits were more than simply monsters drawn on the cards–they were real, living creatures, with their own personalities and likes and dislikes. It seemed illogical, almost supernatural, and yet here it was, and most surprisingly,  _ Ryo had gotten used to its presence. _

It had only been a little more than a week, and Ryo was now used to the fact that his friend could summon his ace monster from its card and play fetch with it. That  _ he _ could have his life nearly threatened by it.  _ Incredible. _

It was, quite honestly, something truly amazing. Like Fubuki himself, the dragon had stunned him, and now he had to try to adapt to being alongside it, another foreign number in an equation he was still working out. That equation was getting really, really long, and he was only just at the start of his first year in Duel Academia, still.

Ryo wondered how long it would take for him to realize a duel spirit himself. He knew it wouldn't be Cyber End Dragon, not first. Fubuki was silly, but he was no fool; Ryo was sure he was right about truly having to prove himself to be worthy of meeting Cyber End, the icon of the Cyber Arts Dojo. A special card bestowed upon him by the Headmaster of the school, Samejima. 

It would be Cyber Dragon, then. But how...? When? Ryo didn't think that he had a bond with his deck beyond the trust he had in it. He trusted his cards to lead him to victory, and he liked to end duels most with Cyber End Dragon, the most powerful card in his deck. Though he knew power wasn't everything; he utilized the full potential of his deck and all of its support monsters, spells and traps. He had never once lost due to Power Bond's negative effect.

But none of that would help him realize a duel spirit. He knew that, and it frustrated him, because he did not know what it would take, or if he was even capable of it. He wasn't like Fubuki, who made friends with the other students easily, who seemed to have formed a bond with his card without much effort at all.

He wasn't like Fubuki. So how, then, was he supposed to materialize a duel spirit? The answer didn't seem reachable, like water that cascaded over his fingers and slipped back into the lake, its volume undisturbed by such slight interference. Ryo felt insignificant, engulfed by the light his friend shone.

A hand rose to block out the light of the sun, as Ryo watched Red-Eyes fly circles in the sky, just barely able to make out the red of the ball in its mouth. 

The school bells rang then, and Fubuki hurriedly gestured and shouted for Red-Eyes to return. They were both nearly late for class because of the dragon's stubbornness, Fubuki laughing all the way as Ryo could only half-smile, for the moment his worries forgotten. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I really enjoy writing these stupid moments with spirits, especially with a character like Fubuki who would be just as obnoxious with them as he is with others. This will get a little more serious in a bit, as you might be able to tell by the end of this chapter! Let me know what you think!


	3. Cracking

Though the collective student body had stopped watching Tenjoin Fubuki's every move, the draw to the Prince and Kaiser's electrifying duels only grew, as a palpable tension seemed to be growing between them. More often than usual, Marufuji Ryo would return to his dorm room after one such duel with his rival and friend, regardless of whether it had been a win or a loss.

No one but Fubuki himself had any idea why.

Fubuki was, by his own account, an attentive guy. A hopeless romantic and people-lover. Extroverted and easy-going.

The polar opposite of Ryo.

Fubuki had been drawn to Ryo since they'd first met—opposites attract, after all! In the beginning, they hadn't gotten along at all, but repeated attempts from Fubuki proved successful at slowly melting Ryo's colder exterior. Fubuki could tell he wasn't a bad or mean guy. He could also tell that he was Ryo's first friend, that Ryo didn't have a grasp on the concept of friendship in the slightest.

Slowly, Ryo had shown him less and less resistance, though he was still quiet and reserved. A smile from his friend was a real treat indeed, to Fubuki—like a blue-green tourmaline buried in the sand.

So, Fubuki had a pretty good idea of why Ryo was isolating himself in his room for hours every time they dueled. He didn't dare disturb him, but that didn't mean he didn't _want_ to.

He knew that Ryo was starting to grow frustrated at his inability to realize a duel spirit himself. Fubuki couldn't help but feel a little guilty, considering Red-Eyes had come to him so easily. In truth, part of the reason he had been dueling so intensely as of late was to try to help his friend in this endeavor. His plan seemed to be backfiring, but he didn't know how else to help ignite the bond between Ryo and his cards. Having a keen eye for these things, he could tell that Ryo cared deeply about them—likely the primary source of his frustration. He thought he could feel the faint echoes of spirits in Ryo's deck, waiting to be awakened by their master, but he couldn't know for certain. It was just a hunch.

He truly wished he could do more to help, but it seemed the ball was in Ryo's court—all the pieces were in place. It was only a matter of Ryo's emotions resonating with his spirits'... if Fubuki could speak to Cyber Dragon himself, he would. Maybe the spirit could be convinced with a bit of a sob story. Stealing Ryo's deck would be a _very_ last resort, though.

☆ ☆ ☆

It isn't the losses that sicken Ryo. Normally such an edge to his competition fueled him like nothing else could, but now... now the more he dueled his friend, the further the walls closed in around him, suffocating him until each of his breaths rattled, heaved.

Even the air in his room was stifling, dry and stagnant and devoid of life. 

Narrowing his eyes, Ryo's gaze bore into the wall like it might give him answers. He wondered if Fubuki was in his room—the one beside his, of course—if he was worried about him. With a nauseating twist of his stomach, he wondered if Fubuki _pitied_ him. Like his plight was that pathetic. 

It was probably in bad taste to assume things about his good friend. He knew that, and yet the thoughts came bubbling below the surface, threatening to spill over an edge.

Ryo had always been on top of his studies—even now, he had top marks in his class, a perfect grade of 100. The ability to realize a spirit didn't count toward your grade, but even so... his inability _frustrated him._ Would he be one of the students to graduate their third year without ever doing so? Surely that would impact his status as a pro duelist before he even started—would he be mocked? Shamed? Would he have trouble finding a sponsor?

He had dreamed of this the night before, waking with a cold sweat. Unaccustomed to nightmares, he had sat there stunned, fear a mostly unknown emotion to him, it crawling under his skin and clutching tight in his chest. Paralyzing him.

Maybe he should tell Fubuki... but that thought hung in his head like mud, weighing down his mind. He didn't want to rely on his friend, who already did so much for him. Nor did he want to look weak in front of him, nor anyone else for that matter.

Marufuji Ryo was not used to failure—he couldn't accept it. He _wouldn't_.

His pride flickered like a candle in the dark, on the verge of being extinguished. 

☆ ☆ ☆

Being an empath most certainly had its drawbacks. Fubuki had been, for nearly two hours, laying on his bed with his arms folded back behind his head as he listened carefully for sounds from next door—for any indication that Ryo had moved to leave his room. He had heard a few small noises, like the creak of a bed or a chair, but otherwise nothing.

It was incredibly hard not to fixate on Ryo's predicament, and what he must be feeling. Though Ryo hadn't spoken to him about it, Fubuki could see the tension in his body when they dueled—the harsh lines of a structure, inelegant and slowly crumbling.

Fubuki worried that that would come to a point—that Ryo would break and crumble under the pressure of succeeding. That wasn't to say that he didn't have faith in his friend—of _course_ he did. That was why it hurt him so much to see him like this, knowing what he was capable of. He _knew_ Ryo would realize a duel spirit, and then more. It was just a matter of _when_ , and _how_. But they were starting to run out of proverbial time—the ticking time bomb that rested beneath the surface drumming louder and louder in his ears.

Fubuki thought he heard a cracking sound then, but maybe it was just his imagination.

Growing fatigued, he rolled over and gathered a mound of his blankets under his arm (he liked to sleep holding something, though some _one_ would have been preferable), and decided that sleeping early might not be the worst idea. By then, hopefully Ryo would be feeling a little rejuvenated, if only by the miracle of sleep alone. With a sigh, he pulled the blankets closer to him and closed his eyes, Ryo the last thing on his mind as he drifted off to sleep. 

☆ ☆ ☆

Fubuki dreamed of Ryo, of cracks growing along his skin until he shattered and crumbled, pieces of white, blue and teal falling to the floor among pieces of cracked, dried skin. He couldn't move nor call out, forced to watch in horror as his friend broke in front of his eyes.

☆ ☆ ☆

_CRACK._

☆ ☆ ☆

It was warm when Fubuki woke, his eyes not wanting to fully open as he waited for them to adjust to the light pouring into the room. Sunlight fell on his face, warming already sun-kissed skin. He cursed himself for forgetting to close the curtains before he slept—while the sun was nice, it was a little too bright first thing in the morning. Closing his eyes, Fubuki humoured the idea of staying in bed a little longer—too comfortable to move.

He had had a nightmare, but the details were already slipping. Oh well.

A short moment later, he felt something move against his chest—something tucked snuggly under his arm—and the Obelisk Blue's eyes shot wide open. Looking down, he saw a small black form with unmistakably sharp features, the sun reflecting bright off its black scales.

Eyes widening further in shock, Fubuki dared not move, lest he disturb the small dragon. His heart began to beat faster in both excitement and awe. Upon closer inspection, there were pieces of red shell all over his blanket—the dragon must have hatched due to his body heat in the middle of the night. Did that mean it had realized as an egg?

Fubuki softly cooed at the small form nestled against his body and it stirred, sleepily lifting its head. It had small black horns and, as it blinked, Fubuki saw large, red eyes. When it finally looked at him, Fubuki beamed, his smile as bright as the sun shining on them.

"Red-Eyes Black Chick, huh?" The dragon in question made tiny, screeching noises like a baby bird, and Fubuki couldn't help but laugh—a soft, warm sound that filled the quiet of the room. "Didn't realize you liked me that much." At that, it snuggled closer to him, and Fubuki had to admit that it wasn't _quite_ as comfortable as cuddling a cat, but he was fond all the same. This was _his_ small creature, even if it was sharp and rather bony. At least, he mused, its scales were soft to the touch.

He _had_ to show Ryo. His companion might be struggling, but surely seeing something so cute would perk him up. Ryo might act all serious, but Fubuki knew that he had a soft spot for animals and nature; he liked watching them as he sat against the tree by the lake. Though meaning to study, he _would_ get distracted by the squirrels and birds, occasional rabbit, a hummingbird feeding on flowers. He would watch the sun flitting through the leaves on the tree with quiet attention, like it meant something to him.

Fubuki sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed, Red-Eyes Black Chick grasped firmly but not too tightly in his arms. "Let's go see my friend Ryo, shall we?"

Red-Eyes Black Chick made what could only be described as a squawk, followed by a series of chirps and clicks. Fubuki, already very fond, lowered his head to briefly nuzzle the top of the dragon's, it looking up at him in wonder.

Fubuki opened and closed Ryo's door quietly; he had knocked, but upon receiving no answer, figured his friend was still sleeping. He had been right, of course—confirmed quickly as he walked in. Fubuki closed the distance between them and gazed down at his sleeping friend, his hair splayed out in a manner that revealed the parts of his face it usually hid. Fubuki couldn't help but smile; Ryo was quite handsome, a shame he did not realize it himself. Cute, even, as Fubuki observed him further; he was soft asleep, his chest rising and falling slowly, a hand laid gently over it. His blankets were only _somewhat_ disheveled. 

As Fubuki was busy gazing at Ryo, his other companion had apparently slipped out of his grip—Fubuki blinked and watched Red-Eyes Black Chick land on the bed with little grace, blink rapidly as it took in its surroundings, then focused its sights on Ryo. It crawled closer and nudged its face up under Ryo's arm, then nestled up to him closely, curling up against his chest like a cat. Fubuki had not expected this, but he couldn't be more pleased by it: his very own duel spirit, bonding with his favourite person in the whole world! Well, besides his sister, that is.

Realizing it might take a while still for Ryo to wake up, Fubuki sat on the side of Ryo's bed, watching the quiet sight with rapt attention. Ryo could sleep as long as he wanted, if it meant that Fubuki got to see him like this—peaceful, his expression relaxed, and the features etched into his face gentle. It was a doubly touching sight, to see his duel spirit curled up to him. Like this, Fubuki could see it even better than he had before: it was _adorable_. So much cuter than the Solid Vision. _Real_.

Ryo shifted in his sleep and Black Chick let out a small sound. As if taking that as a cue, it followed Ryo's example and stretched, its little arms and wings extending as far as they would go. The movement was what finally roused Ryo, and his sleep-tired eyes locked with Red-Eyes Black Chick's large ones. Ryo blinked, in a stupor. The small black dragon stretched again, yawning like a cat and baring small, razor-sharp teeth. Then its large eyes fixed on Ryo again. "This is..." 

"Red-Eyes Black Chick." Fubuki waved a finger in a know-it-all-way; if Ryo was more awake, he would have rolled his eyes. Fubuki seemed humoured by something, his eyes suddenly lighting up. "I guess this makes you Dad #2."

What little bit of colour Ryo's face had drained. "What?" His expression was a mix of horror and realization, embarrassment merely an afterthought.

"When a chick hatches, the first living thing it sees are its parents. Since you're the second, I guess he thinks he has two fathers!" Fubuki was far too amused by this, which Ryo caught on to immediately.

"You did this on purpose." He deadpanned, half because he just wasn't awake enough to emote.

Fubuki winked, scooching more onto the bed to be closer to his 'family'. Red-Eyes Black Chick chirped happily. "Maybe."

Ryo gently sighed in exasperation, but Fubuki's assumption had been spot on—the way Ryo looked at the little bundle of joy (and sharp teeth) was soft, like he recognized the young creature was vulnerable, in need of protection and care. "Fine," he huffed, and the dragon let out a well-timed, very small poof of flame, like trying to start a lighter. Ryo looked mildly alarmed, though in a testament to his strong will, did not flinch in the slightest, even though the chick could very easily set his bed—and him with it—on fire.

Fubuki gave him an incredulous look—he hadn't expected him to go along with it. "Wait, you're really accepting responsibility for him?" Fubuki couldn't contain his surprise—sure, Ryo often went along with his schemes after some pushing, but this was immediate! Effortless.

Ryo smirked, looking up at his friend through bed-mussed bangs. "I don't really have a choice." Well, Ryo _was_ the observant type. So long as it wasn't emotions, he was good at reading a situation, and in this case... it seemed to him like Fubuki was telling the truth. His soft blue-green eyes fixed on the chick, watching how its body slowly pulsed as it breathed. 

It was cute, and he felt himself growing endeared to it already, but...

Fubuki had realized another duel spirit. Now he was _two_ steps behind him. A darkness coiled around Ryo's heart, slowly clenching, _squeezing._ His breaths fell in quiet rasps, as he tried to keep an emotion he couldn't understand from breaking the surface.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had some difficulty with this one, as the emotions are _very_ sharp. It's pretty angsty compared to the first two chapters! Hopefully I got everything across succinctly.
> 
> Secondly... I'm well aware that POV is not my strong point. Sometimes I want to be able to get both charas' POV at once in a section, so the POV is just.... I don't know. Hopefully that doesn't bother anyone. I'm not a professional writer nor is it my focal point, so I have difficulty with that. Just pay it no mind, LOL. I'm doing my best.
> 
> As always I love comments! I'm really enjoying writing this, and the parallels to canon Hell Kaiser happening this early are a happy accident. I think Ryo just really does not like feeling inferior, even if its to his best friend whom he likes quite a bit.


End file.
